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THE
JEWISH
TIMES
Vol. XXXVIII, No. 52
Thursday, August 18, 1983
25 Cents
, Liberia Renews Diplomatic
Relations With Israel
by David Landau
and David Friedman
JERUSALEM (JTA) - Liberia
has decided to renew its diplomatic
relations with Israel, it was
announced in Monrovia, the
nation's capital. Foreign Minister
Yitzhak Shamir expressed Israel's
warm gratification at this develop-
ment and expressed the hope that
many other African states would
follow Liberia's example.
Liberia is the second state �
after Zaire last May � to renew
ties with Israel. Most African coun-
tries severed diplomatic relations
at the time of the Yom Kippur War
in 1973. Following the Israeli-
Egyptian peace treaty and Israel's
withdrawal from Sinai, there has
been a discernible movement
among many African states in the
direction of restoring full relations
with Israel.
Israeli sources are reluctant to
specify which African countries
are regarded as "in line" to follow
in the footsteps of Zaire and
Liberia � apparently for fear of
dislocating delicate contacts that
are underway.
Israeli sources said Liberia's
decision had come after long hesi-
tation and in the face of Arab
pressure. There had been many
contacts between Israel and
Liberia, including a recent visit
here by the Liberian Defense
Minister during which he report-
edly conferred with Premier
Menachem Begin.
Israel has not maintained an
interest section in a foreign
Embassy in Monrovia (as it does in
a number of other African capi-
tals). But ties have been kept up
through the Israeli interest section
in neighboring Ivory Coast and
there have been numerous official
visits in both directions in recent
months � carried through with
discretion.
WASHINGTON REACTION
The United States welcomed
Liberia's decision to resume
diplomatic relations with Israel.
But the State Department seemed
to go out of the way to stress that
the decision by the African country
was made on its own.
"The United States welcomed
the government of Liberia's inde-
pendent decision to resume rela-
tions with Israel," department
deputy spokesman Alan Romberg
said. "It has made this important
move on its own initiative. We
continue to encourage other coun-
tries to extend full diplomatic
recognition to Israel."
At one point in reading the
statement,Romberg made a slip of
the tongue calling Liberia
"Libya." Romberg, who had
accompanied Secretary of State
George Shultz to Mexico for Presi-
dent Reagan's meeting with Mexi-
can President Miguel de la Madrid,
had explained earlier that he had
not returned to Washington
until 4 a.m.
Israel's UN Losing Streak Intact
GENEVA [JTA] � Israel's policies in the West Bank and South
Africa's policy of apartheid came under severe criticism at the United
Nations World Conference to Combat Racism. The conference, which
ended this week, voted 104-0 for measures to combat apartheid, ranging
from eonomic sanctions to a complete cutoff of all scientific, cultural
and sports contacts.
The conference also approved a final declaration that included a
paragraph condemning Israel for what was termed intensified coopera-
tion with South Africa and another paragraph describing Israel's
"racial discrimination against inhabitants of the Arab occupied
territories."
The United States and Israel boycotted the two-week conference
attended by 124 nations because of the 1975 UN General Assembly
resolutions equating Zionism with racism.
During the last hours of the conference, the Soviet Union was the most
vociferous in denouncing Israel for its "cooperation" with South Africa
and for "racism" in the occupied territories. It was apparent that the
USSR, which antagonized the Western delegates by its bellicose
manner, was seeking a Western walkout from the conference so that it
could appear as the only friend of the African nations.
The Egyptian delegation actively supported the anti-Israel declara-
tion and one of the Egyptian delegates bitterly attacked the "Israeli
racist practices" in the West Bank. A group calling itself "The Council
of International Indian Treaty" denounced Israel for aiding the govern-
ment of Guatemala. The African delegates refrained from attacking
Soviet Embassy Rejects
Petition FromHadassah
SILENT VIGIL FOR SOVIET JEWS � On the eve of
the National Convention of Hadassah, the National
Board of the largest Jewish organization in the United
States, led by its President Frieda S. Lewis, held a
silent vigil for Soviet Jews outside the Soviet Embassy.
Mrs. Lewis read her statement to members of the
National Board [left to right, partially obscured]
Claire Baer, Stony Brook, N.Y.; Dorothy Lane, Fort
Lee, N.J., national chairman for Soviet Jewry;
Charlotte Jacobson, New York City, national
convention chairman; Rosalie Schechter, Harrison,
N.Y., national secretary; Joan Sacarob, Annandale,
VA, Washington liaison; and convention co-chairman
Miriam Driesman, Merrick, N.Y. Couple at right are
among hundreds of onlookers who stopped to join the
daily vigil which the Greater Washington Jewish
Community Council has organized for 13 years.
by Sam Lipshutz
Special To The Jewish Times
WASHINGTON � In a silent
vigil for the "Jews of Silence" the
250 members of the National Board
of Hadassah gathered last week
outside the Soviet Embassy in
Washington, D.C. the site of the
69th annual Hadassah Convention
and National Board deliberations.
Frieda S. Lewis, National Presi-
dent of Hadassah, recalled that "31
years ago, on August 12, 1952, 24
Jewish writers � poets, novelists,
dramatists and essayists � were
executed by Soviet authorities.
They were murdered as part of a
deliberate policy of eradicating
Jewish culture and its most
articulate representatives.
Today, once again, Soviet Jews
engaged in the study of Jewish
culture, history and Hebrew lan-
guage are the targets of official
harassment and abuse. Their
homes have been invaded and
Jewish books seized. The severe
crackdown is a continuation of a
deliberate policy of the spiritual
and cultural genocide of Stalinist
times.
Mrs. Lewis approached the
sentry outside the Soviet Embassy
where she was denied admittance
and her petition to Ambassador
Anatoly Dobrynin refused. A
member of the Washington Jewish
Community Council, sponsors of
the thirteen-year old daily noon-
time vigil, commended the dele-
gates for their concern.
The petition called for opening
the gates to Jewish emigration;
ceasing harassment of Jews who
wish to emigrate and to unite with
their families and their people in
Israel; freeing of all Prisoners of
Conscience sent to prisons, labor
camps, and exile and permitting
Jews the free practice of their
religious and cultural activities.
Mrs. Lewis stated, "Though my
petitions have not been accepted
today, we will find a way to send
the thoughts and the feelings of our
Hadassah members."
Members of the National Board
from the Boston Area are Rae M.
Ginsberg, Zionist Affairs Task
Force, Boston; Sarabeth Lukin,
President, Boston Chapter, Bos-
ton; Florence Richman, National
Service Committee, Brookline;
Judith H. Swartz, President, New
England Region, Andover; and
Diane Waitz, National Service
Committee, Sharon.
Two Synagogue Fires In One Week
WEST HARTFORD, Ct (JTA) �
a Conservative synagogue was hit
by a suspicious fire early this
morning, the second synagogue
here to be torched in five days.
Both the Amanuel Synago:ue this
morning and the Young Israel
Synagogue last week were hit in
pre-dawn hours.
The fire at Emanuel Synagogue
wasdiscoveredat3:00a.m. when a
barking dog awakened a neighbor,
who called the Fire Department.
The main damage was to the small
sanctuary but some Torah scrolls
wer destroyed in the main
sanctuary. The fire was put out
quickly. Calls began to come to the
synagogue soon after people
learned of the fire, offering money
and volunteer aid.
Jeffrey Mines, chairman of the
community relations committee of
the Greater Hartford Jewish
Federation said "We are shocked
and horrified at this major act of
vandalism for within 5 days two
synagogues have sustained major
damage from fires committed by
an arsonist, according to police."
He added that "we are receiving
full and complete cooperation from
Governor William O'Neill, appro-
priate state officials, and the town
of West Hartford and its mayor and
police officials."
2nd Fire
Last Wednesday a fire, which
Fire Department investigators say
was clearly the work of arsonists,
destroyed the sanctuary and study
hall of the Young Israel Synagogue
here last week.
The fire, which was reported at
3:30 a.m. last Wednesday, des-
troyed many religious articles and
prayer books as well as the
synagogue's main halls. The Torah
scrolls suffered only minor
damage. According to the Fire
Department, arsonists set fires in
five locations in the synagogue.
There are no leads yet as to who
the arsonists might be.
According to Rabbi Solomon
Krupka, the spiritual leader of the
congregation, there had been no
significant history of vandalism
against the synagogue building,
which was built six years ago. He
reported that the synagogue is now,.
being tested for possible structural
Continued on Page Ten

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THE
JEWISH
TIMES
Vol. XXXVIII, No. 52
Thursday, August 18, 1983
25 Cents
, Liberia Renews Diplomatic
Relations With Israel
by David Landau
and David Friedman
JERUSALEM (JTA) - Liberia
has decided to renew its diplomatic
relations with Israel, it was
announced in Monrovia, the
nation's capital. Foreign Minister
Yitzhak Shamir expressed Israel's
warm gratification at this develop-
ment and expressed the hope that
many other African states would
follow Liberia's example.
Liberia is the second state �
after Zaire last May � to renew
ties with Israel. Most African coun-
tries severed diplomatic relations
at the time of the Yom Kippur War
in 1973. Following the Israeli-
Egyptian peace treaty and Israel's
withdrawal from Sinai, there has
been a discernible movement
among many African states in the
direction of restoring full relations
with Israel.
Israeli sources are reluctant to
specify which African countries
are regarded as "in line" to follow
in the footsteps of Zaire and
Liberia � apparently for fear of
dislocating delicate contacts that
are underway.
Israeli sources said Liberia's
decision had come after long hesi-
tation and in the face of Arab
pressure. There had been many
contacts between Israel and
Liberia, including a recent visit
here by the Liberian Defense
Minister during which he report-
edly conferred with Premier
Menachem Begin.
Israel has not maintained an
interest section in a foreign
Embassy in Monrovia (as it does in
a number of other African capi-
tals). But ties have been kept up
through the Israeli interest section
in neighboring Ivory Coast and
there have been numerous official
visits in both directions in recent
months � carried through with
discretion.
WASHINGTON REACTION
The United States welcomed
Liberia's decision to resume
diplomatic relations with Israel.
But the State Department seemed
to go out of the way to stress that
the decision by the African country
was made on its own.
"The United States welcomed
the government of Liberia's inde-
pendent decision to resume rela-
tions with Israel," department
deputy spokesman Alan Romberg
said. "It has made this important
move on its own initiative. We
continue to encourage other coun-
tries to extend full diplomatic
recognition to Israel."
At one point in reading the
statement,Romberg made a slip of
the tongue calling Liberia
"Libya." Romberg, who had
accompanied Secretary of State
George Shultz to Mexico for Presi-
dent Reagan's meeting with Mexi-
can President Miguel de la Madrid,
had explained earlier that he had
not returned to Washington
until 4 a.m.
Israel's UN Losing Streak Intact
GENEVA [JTA] � Israel's policies in the West Bank and South
Africa's policy of apartheid came under severe criticism at the United
Nations World Conference to Combat Racism. The conference, which
ended this week, voted 104-0 for measures to combat apartheid, ranging
from eonomic sanctions to a complete cutoff of all scientific, cultural
and sports contacts.
The conference also approved a final declaration that included a
paragraph condemning Israel for what was termed intensified coopera-
tion with South Africa and another paragraph describing Israel's
"racial discrimination against inhabitants of the Arab occupied
territories."
The United States and Israel boycotted the two-week conference
attended by 124 nations because of the 1975 UN General Assembly
resolutions equating Zionism with racism.
During the last hours of the conference, the Soviet Union was the most
vociferous in denouncing Israel for its "cooperation" with South Africa
and for "racism" in the occupied territories. It was apparent that the
USSR, which antagonized the Western delegates by its bellicose
manner, was seeking a Western walkout from the conference so that it
could appear as the only friend of the African nations.
The Egyptian delegation actively supported the anti-Israel declara-
tion and one of the Egyptian delegates bitterly attacked the "Israeli
racist practices" in the West Bank. A group calling itself "The Council
of International Indian Treaty" denounced Israel for aiding the govern-
ment of Guatemala. The African delegates refrained from attacking
Soviet Embassy Rejects
Petition FromHadassah
SILENT VIGIL FOR SOVIET JEWS � On the eve of
the National Convention of Hadassah, the National
Board of the largest Jewish organization in the United
States, led by its President Frieda S. Lewis, held a
silent vigil for Soviet Jews outside the Soviet Embassy.
Mrs. Lewis read her statement to members of the
National Board [left to right, partially obscured]
Claire Baer, Stony Brook, N.Y.; Dorothy Lane, Fort
Lee, N.J., national chairman for Soviet Jewry;
Charlotte Jacobson, New York City, national
convention chairman; Rosalie Schechter, Harrison,
N.Y., national secretary; Joan Sacarob, Annandale,
VA, Washington liaison; and convention co-chairman
Miriam Driesman, Merrick, N.Y. Couple at right are
among hundreds of onlookers who stopped to join the
daily vigil which the Greater Washington Jewish
Community Council has organized for 13 years.
by Sam Lipshutz
Special To The Jewish Times
WASHINGTON � In a silent
vigil for the "Jews of Silence" the
250 members of the National Board
of Hadassah gathered last week
outside the Soviet Embassy in
Washington, D.C. the site of the
69th annual Hadassah Convention
and National Board deliberations.
Frieda S. Lewis, National Presi-
dent of Hadassah, recalled that "31
years ago, on August 12, 1952, 24
Jewish writers � poets, novelists,
dramatists and essayists � were
executed by Soviet authorities.
They were murdered as part of a
deliberate policy of eradicating
Jewish culture and its most
articulate representatives.
Today, once again, Soviet Jews
engaged in the study of Jewish
culture, history and Hebrew lan-
guage are the targets of official
harassment and abuse. Their
homes have been invaded and
Jewish books seized. The severe
crackdown is a continuation of a
deliberate policy of the spiritual
and cultural genocide of Stalinist
times.
Mrs. Lewis approached the
sentry outside the Soviet Embassy
where she was denied admittance
and her petition to Ambassador
Anatoly Dobrynin refused. A
member of the Washington Jewish
Community Council, sponsors of
the thirteen-year old daily noon-
time vigil, commended the dele-
gates for their concern.
The petition called for opening
the gates to Jewish emigration;
ceasing harassment of Jews who
wish to emigrate and to unite with
their families and their people in
Israel; freeing of all Prisoners of
Conscience sent to prisons, labor
camps, and exile and permitting
Jews the free practice of their
religious and cultural activities.
Mrs. Lewis stated, "Though my
petitions have not been accepted
today, we will find a way to send
the thoughts and the feelings of our
Hadassah members."
Members of the National Board
from the Boston Area are Rae M.
Ginsberg, Zionist Affairs Task
Force, Boston; Sarabeth Lukin,
President, Boston Chapter, Bos-
ton; Florence Richman, National
Service Committee, Brookline;
Judith H. Swartz, President, New
England Region, Andover; and
Diane Waitz, National Service
Committee, Sharon.
Two Synagogue Fires In One Week
WEST HARTFORD, Ct (JTA) �
a Conservative synagogue was hit
by a suspicious fire early this
morning, the second synagogue
here to be torched in five days.
Both the Amanuel Synago:ue this
morning and the Young Israel
Synagogue last week were hit in
pre-dawn hours.
The fire at Emanuel Synagogue
wasdiscoveredat3:00a.m. when a
barking dog awakened a neighbor,
who called the Fire Department.
The main damage was to the small
sanctuary but some Torah scrolls
wer destroyed in the main
sanctuary. The fire was put out
quickly. Calls began to come to the
synagogue soon after people
learned of the fire, offering money
and volunteer aid.
Jeffrey Mines, chairman of the
community relations committee of
the Greater Hartford Jewish
Federation said "We are shocked
and horrified at this major act of
vandalism for within 5 days two
synagogues have sustained major
damage from fires committed by
an arsonist, according to police."
He added that "we are receiving
full and complete cooperation from
Governor William O'Neill, appro-
priate state officials, and the town
of West Hartford and its mayor and
police officials."
2nd Fire
Last Wednesday a fire, which
Fire Department investigators say
was clearly the work of arsonists,
destroyed the sanctuary and study
hall of the Young Israel Synagogue
here last week.
The fire, which was reported at
3:30 a.m. last Wednesday, des-
troyed many religious articles and
prayer books as well as the
synagogue's main halls. The Torah
scrolls suffered only minor
damage. According to the Fire
Department, arsonists set fires in
five locations in the synagogue.
There are no leads yet as to who
the arsonists might be.
According to Rabbi Solomon
Krupka, the spiritual leader of the
congregation, there had been no
significant history of vandalism
against the synagogue building,
which was built six years ago. He
reported that the synagogue is now,.
being tested for possible structural
Continued on Page Ten